New findings bring to light a previously unappreciated mechanism involved in the regulation of the oncoprotein MYC. Interesting observations find that the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) PVT1 is active in controlling levels of MYC through regulation of MYC protein stability.

In normal cells, MYC is targeted by phosphorylation on threonine 58 (Thr58) and becomes destabilized and degraded. (B) In cancer cells, gain of 8q24 promotes the expression of MYC and PVT1. PVT1 interferes with the phosphorylation of Thr58 on MYC, which stabilizes the protein and increases its level.

• Johnsson P, Morris KV. (2014) Expanding the functional role of long noncoding RNAs. Cell Res [Epub ahead of print]. [article]

New findings bring to light a previously unappreciated mechanism involved in the regulation of the oncoprotein MYC. Interesting observations find that the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) PVT1 is active in controlling levels of MYC through regulation of MYC protein stability.

In normal cells, MYC is targeted by phosphorylation on threonine 58 (Thr58) and becomes destabilized and degraded. (B) In cancer cells, gain of 8q24 promotes the expression of MYC and PVT1. PVT1 interferes with the phosphorylation of Thr58 on MYC, which stabilizes the protein and increases its level.

• Johnsson P, Morris KV. (2014) Expanding the functional role of long noncoding RNAs. Cell Res [Epub ahead of print]. [article]